Dragon's Blood

Sadice - Harvest Feast

I did as Arden suggested and, in the days that followed, made friends with her soldiers and offered them relief from old battle wounds. Goff's grudging encouragement helped and as word of my gift and willingness to help spread, I soon had soldiers seeking me out. After all the soldiers in my town were made better, Captain Arden offered an escort to the other six towns to help the soldiers there. So it was that I spent two weeks traveling the nearby towns, healing as I went.

By the time I returned, I was exhausted and spent, but Jaden didn't let me rest more than a day. Harvest Feast was upon us and, healer or not, he needed help.

For two days I helped Cook in the kitchen, chopped wood, hung decorations, dragged supplies across town, and did anything Jaden requested until I fell into bed and slept the sleep of the dead until his pounding on my door woke me the next morning at dawn.

Feast Day arrived bright and unseasonably warm, giving us a last pleasant day before winter set in for good. Small and hardy wildflowers waved gently in the nearby fields and I spent the afternoon picking and arranging them for the long lines of tables we had set out the day before. As the sun started its descent back to earth, townsfolk and soldiers began to gather around the great bonfires Jaden had built and food began to appear on the tables. Before long, everyone was crowded into the town square, eating, laughing, and telling wild stories. Music struck up from a corner and as the sun sank low, dancing filled the square and spilled out into nearby streets.

I watched the revelry from a corner of the square, a plate of delicious food balanced on my knees. I munched contentedly and almost dozed, lulled by warmth, good food, and the good natured laughter all around me.

I caught a glimpse of Arden from the corner of my eye and turned my head to watch her, suddenly more awake. She stood in her familiar casual stance, arms folded, leaning her shoulder against a building. She watched her men with an air of maternal long suffering, a rare half smile on her face as they danced and challenged each other's manhood for the sake of laughing onlookers.

The night darkened and firelight flickered over the merriment. The dances became more organized and soon everyone was pulled in, dancing in concentric circles to the ever quickening music. Jaden and Cook found me and pulled me in, laughing and ignoring my protests. I didn't protest too hard. I had always loved the dances and they knew it.

Before long, I was lost in the quick movement, stamping, clapping, twirling, and gasping for breath in between shouts of laughter and "more, more". Weaving the intricate steps, my exhaustion melted away and I forgot my heartache. Summer had been good to us. The war was over. We were alive and filled with hope for the future.

In the midst of it all, I became aware of Arden being pulled into the dance by her soldiers. My heart skipped a beat. She danced with us and I was surprised she knew the steps, turning and stomping her feet and clapping her hands right in time. Partners changed and changed again and before I knew it, Arden was there, dancing with me. Her grin at me lit my insides from top to bottom. Here she was, the woman I had known, smiling down at me, twirling me in a circle, taking my breath away.

The song ended and shouts for more filled the air, but I didn't hear them, still standing in Arden's arms, caught by her smiling gaze. 

Thunder rumbled and Arden looked up, breaking the spell. Only I didn't want it to end. Grabbing her hand, I pulled Arden to the closest alley and pulled her to me. She caught my hands in hers, and when I looked up into her face I found… love. And awe. And tenderness. And a vulnerability that shook me to my core and left me trembling all over.

I reached up and touched her face. She bent her head and claimed my lips with hers, owning me body and soul. Her arms wrapped around me in that strong embrace pulling me into a kiss that was deep and tender and everything I wanted it to be.

Thunder rumbled again, closer this time, and Arden pulled away. I leaned toward her, wanting, needing more, but she pushed me back gently.

"I can't do this," she said, barely whispering.

I stared at her, bereft and unbelieving. "What do you mean, you can't? Why not?"

Lightning struck the building right across the street from us, deafening and making us both jump a foot in the air. Arden grabbed me and pulled me down into a crouch, her body covering mine protectively as she swivelled her head in every direction, her breath coming in short, heavy gasps. Her grip on my shoulder was painfully tight, but I didn't protest as I watched her draw her sword, every muscle in her body taut with battle awareness.

"This way," she whispered in my ear and guided me down the alley away from where the lightning had struck.

Shouts of fire emerged from the town square and as we came out of the alley on the far end of the street, Arden put her sword away and straightened, pulling me up beside her. Tension lined her face and when she glanced at me, I saw that cursed warriors mask was firmly back in place.

A soldier ran by, heading toward where the lightning had struck and Arden put out a hand to stop him. He skidded to a halt and saluted her.

"An attack?" Captain Arden asked tersely.

He shook his head. "Just the storm rolling in, sir. Unlucky strike."

She nodded. "As you were. I'll be there shortly."

He ran off.

"I need to help with the fire," she said, not looking at me, as if we hadn't just been kissing.

Anger seared through me. How many times would she respond to me and then turn me away? 

I nodded. Then I turned and left before she could see the tears in my eyes. I blindly stumbled home, resentment building with every step.

The rain came shortly after I made it to my little house but it did little to sooth my anger. Instead, it grew until I was punching my pillow and screaming at it. Finally I collapsed against it and sobbed as I hadn't since the night she first left me eight years ago. Loneliness twisted inside me, eating through me with that old familiar acid.

I had known I would never see her again. War was terrible and deadly. Most never came back. Yet here she was, desirable as ever, and as unreachable as if she were still on the battlefield. I knew war changed people. But this was agony, to have her, and yet not. All I wanted was her love and touch. She had given me a taste, glimpses of both. Why did she keep pulling back?

I punched the pillow again.

A knock sounded at my door and I almost didn't go to it. I knew it would be her. I was too angry, too hurt, and she was just too…

I got up and went to the door. I opened it and she stood there, dripping wet in the rain, so sexy it hurt, her eyes full of apology.